


Ruby Light

by SteelPhann



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-09-19 14:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9445004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteelPhann/pseuds/SteelPhann
Summary: A simple task gone awry - but that special someone is always there to save the day... With the help of an unusual friend of course!





	

**Author's Note:**

> New at writing here! Excited to join with my first fic! Enjoy!

The pair had a task to complete. The task was simple, gather the Glacian lily - the ingredient to finish a pastry for the young prince Noctis.

"You spoil the kid." Gladio stated gruffly.

Ignis sharpened his glance towards the shield annoyed at the accusation.

"He's 20 not 12 anymore Iggy." Gladio responded to the look.

The advisor sighed, "Must everything be so simple with you? Noctis has been more stressed than I have ever seen. The expectations of  
becoming king and lessons of preparation are rigorous. I... I just wish to lighten the tone."

Gladio chuckled, "by spoilin' em."

This received yet another chill glare.

It was the night before the two were planning on heading up to the mountains in the north to gather the rare ingredient for a pastry  
that was considered a delicacy on Eos. The plan was to drive up to peaks of the range north of the Crown City. It would take the pair  
the majority of the day to drive and give them ample amount of time to reach the nearby haven to set up camp before daemons prowled the  
night. The following morning they would set out early to locate the lily and drive back to the city by dawn.  
Ignis had planned to go alone initially. However, when he mentioned the idea to Gladio - he outright refused to let him go alone. 

Currently, both were calling it a night at Ignis's apartment on the east side of town. Ignis lived in a modern condo, clean, crisp,  
established, and extremely 'Ignis'. It was opposite of Gladio's home - a bachelor pad full of unwashed laundry and empty take out boxes.  
Gladio had offered to stay the night in Ignis's guest bedroom in order for the duo to get an earlier start to their task in the morning  
and so paints the current scene of the strategist finishing dinner; Prairie-Style Skewers, a Gladio favorite. Though he may not have  
admitted to it if asked, but Ignis definitely made them just to please the Shield.

"Damn Iggy! Never fail to impress!" Gladio cheered patting his stomache from the table watching Ignis grab the empty plates to head to the  
sink to begin to clean up.

Ignis tried to hide the blush that crept to his cheeks, "Thank you Gladio."

A comfortable silence passed between the two as Gladio stood up from his seat, placing his hands on the sleek white modern dining table.  
(It was a designer piece - once again, very Ignis).

"I'm gonna hop in the shower!" Gladio hollered walking into the hallway into Ignis's bedroom. 

He heard Ignis hum a response.  
Opening up the light pine wood door, Gladio walked into the immaculate bedroom of Ignis Scientia - a queen sized bed adorned with lavish white  
and grey sheets accented with a sophisticated deep purple. Bookshelves lined the entire west wall filled with cookbooks, history books, and  
nonfiction; all alphabetized to no surprise. The curtains currently cast over the floor to ceiling glass windows, the same royal purple  
found on the bedding. A decorative vase sat atop his dresser on the east wall filled with fresh flowers - another one of Ignis's favorite things.  
The room smelled like Ignis, fresh and clean - perfect. Gladio took a deep breath and smiled - he loved that scent. Heading to the  
master bathroom across the room, something caught the Shield's eye. He grinned a devilish grin. Walking over to the bed he picked up a  
stuffed doll shaped like a fennec fox. Furry grey white fur, encrusted with a ruby crystal atop its head. It glistened a ruby light.  
Carbuncle - a popular magical creature among kids.

"Cute" Gladio grins, "Iggy come 'ere!" mischief a mind. 

'Just a minute!" Ignis yells back from the kitchen. 

Gladio hears the running water turn off and soon after footsteps through the hallway. The bedroom door is pushed even more ajar, revealing  
Ignis. Immediately his face drops - cheeks red of embarrassment as he rushes over to Gladio still bearing a shit eating grin.

"Never knew you to play with dolls." He roars in laughter raising the Carbuncle doll in his right hand - out of Ignis's reach.

"GLADIOLUS!" Ignis is R.E.D. "Give that back this instant!" The advisor is tall but nothing compared to the build of the Shield who towers  
over him. The Carbuncle doll is completely out of grabs. Gladio can't stop his laughter watching Ignis strive to reach for the doll,  
embarrassment is too obvious, and he is flustered. Ignis is never flustered. 

Soon, Ignis knows that resistance is futile and sighs placing all his weight onto one side; one hand stays on his hip the other covers his  
face. "Gladiolus Amicitia, you win" he sighs again, "Now please return it to me."

Gladio's laughter finally dies down, "Fine fine fine." He tosses the plush doll towards Ignis who catches his breath and quickly grasps Carbuncle,  
which gains another hearty roar from Gladio.

"What's with that stuffed animal anyway?"

Ignis looks down at Carbuncle with complete adoration, "He is a good luck charm. It is stated that many travelers are blessed with his presence when in  
need." and it takes everything for Ignis not to add how damn cute he is too, but he won't allow Gladio another laugh at him.

"You believe that furball is real?!" Gladio said stunned.  
Gladio has never known Ignis to hold onto anything such as luck. The man was always keen on numbers, exact calculations, and strategy. A  
third unpredictable party such as luck was never accounted for with Ignis. 

"Many journals site as an eye witness to Carbuncle!" Ignis stated, easily becoming passionate about the subject.

Gladio just chuckled shaking his head, and headed off into the bathroom to start the shower.

 

...

 

The next morning little to no words were shared as the two danced around each other to get ready. More or less Ignis moved quickly around  
the grunting hunk of a man Gladio who was falling asleep on the couch. 4am was too damn early. Before Gladio knew it a breakfast burrito  
was presented right infront of his face. Zoning back in on reality he looked up to Ignis smiling at him pushing up his glasses with his  
other hand, "I-I acquired this for you yesterday evening. I typically do not enjoy such heavy meals at dawn, but you will need your  
strength."

Gladio smiles at his friend thanking him with a nod. Ignis could be very cold in the work environment only to turn around and have the  
biggest heart as a friend. That is what Gladio enjoyed most about the advisor. The amount of time he took into caring for everyone and  
especially Noctis, Gladio, and Prompto was monumental. Hell, look at the task they were embarking on today - Ignis was amazing in Gladio's eyes.

The duo took off as soon as Gladio finished eating - Ignis would definitely not allow the brute to eat in his car - that was a non negotiable.  
Ignis took the wheel and the drive into sunrise began. They drove through the crown city with little traffic, the tall buildings covering the  
lilac toned sky. The sky scrapers became fewer and fewer as the curved roads became straight heading out of the city - the sky painted to a pure  
blue. Ignis and Gladio were now in the country, plainlands; flat and green as far as the eye can see.

"Mind if I play some music?" Gladio finally broke the silence.

Ignis pondered the question for a second, not wanting to break the lovely silence with Gladio's favorite heavy metal tunes.  
He sighed "You may."

Gladio plugged in his phone to the car's aux cord and Ignis's shoulders tensed waiting for the screaming and heavy drums to begin. 

Light Jazz, Ingis's favorite.

Ignis quickly glanced to the shield who was staring right at him, "I figured you'd rather hear this than my shit, you've never seemed to like  
it." Gladio scratched the back of his head trying to smile out of the corner of his mouth.

Ignis smiled appreciating Gladio more than he already did, "Thank you."

The roads transformed again becoming steeper and the terrain from grassy fields to rocky hills, the blue sky now grey almost dismal. The further  
they started to incline the darker the sky became.

"A storm" Ignis stated wearily.

"Nothin' we can't handle" Gladio grinned.

Ignis only hummed in response.

However, this was no ordinary storm. Climbing to the peaks, the storm grew savage. Lightning and snow combined, married with heavy winds. There  
was not another car insight and for good reason. The winds began to sway the car slightly and Ignis's grip tightened against the wheel. 

"We have not too much further" Ignis said calmly.

And with another ten minutes of intensive concentration as line of sight became shorter and shorter, Ignis pulled over to a parking spot on the  
side of the road.

"Finally!" Gladio opened the door only to be met by a fierce cold.  
"Fuck it's cold." 

Ignis walked to the trunk of his car, ignoring the profanities that always seemed to slip from Gladio's mouth, popping open the trunk to get ready  
the gear; two heavy coats and two backpacking packs, packed with all the right gear for any occasion. After all, Ignis was the one who prepared them. 

"Let's find this damn lily and go home." Gladio said confidently into the heavy wind. Ignis nodded and the two set off into the snow.

 

...

 

The scene quickly began to go sour. The mountain roared and the gusts strong, hurling chunks of snow through the air. The bitter cold hissed  
across the pairs' skin. The surrounding pine trees seemed to bend under the intensive strain of the wind. 

"Let's make this quick! Find camp and fast!" Gladio instructed leading the way, yelling over the snow.

His boots sunk into the snow, each step heavier than the last. Luckily the haven was not far from the road. As both of them trekked  
through the heavy storm, Gladio continuously checked behind him to watch Ignis. Gladio was struggling to resist the wind so he didn't know  
Ignis faired. The slender man had his arms wrapped around his self, wind swaying him side to side. 

Then, lightning struck.

Time stopped for only a second as the sky flashed before them.

Heavy waves heard, wading through the hills - an avalanche. White blankets crashed beside Gladio - with haste, the Shield grabbed onto the nearest  
tree for support and turned around immediately to grab Ignis...

...

But he wasn't there...

"Ignis?!" Gladio screamed. Thunder roared again, lightning flashed, "IGNIS?!?!"

Panic - utter panic washed over Gladio. Trying to look beyond the continuous white. He frantically searched for the advisor through the storm.  
The waves of white slowed to a halt and only the wind carried small blankets of white.

"IGNIIIIIIISSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!" Gladio roared as adrenaline overturned. How could he have lost Ignis?

He ripped through the snow piles looking for the strategist. Emotion wearing him down, constantly screaming his name desperate for Ignis.  
After a long strenuous search, Gladio came to the conclusion that Ignis was not there. He must have been carried away with the avalanche.

"FUCK!" Gladio's fists landed in the snow knees falling deep, hot tears rushing down his scared face. His best friend gone. He should have  
stayed closer to Ignis to grab him sooner, he should have been there, he should have been able to save him. He loved him...

He... loved.. him... 

The realization hit him like a train on the track. Empowering Gladio to stand again, "IGNIS!" he roared into mountains. He heard  
the echo of his voice, "I will find him" he reassured himself.

Gladio ran... ran through the storm, ran through the snow - He needed Ignis now, in his arms - to know he was safe. A human snow plow;  
sifting through inches of snow and never stopping. He continued down the track the avalanche left anger and passion driving off the cold. 

"IGNIS!" 

"IGNIS!!!!"

...

Nothing but the sounds of the harsh wind scraping against rocks and trees. White as far as the eye could see...

 

... except a light; ruby. 

 

Gladio ran, gods did Gladio run. The red ruby light contrasted against the continuous white blankets flickering in the distance. Gladio's  
legs burned, but he ignored the pain as the light gave him strength. Run, Run, Run. The shield pushed passed blankets of snow and hopped  
across rocks till the light was in grasp - reaching out it disappeared beyond his large fingertips. In attempt to relocate the light Gladio  
frantically searched around him only to see a body lying across a white dusted rock behind the small forest of trees.

"IGNIS!" Gladio ran to him, entire body hot from strain, but not a care in the world because Ignis - Ignis.

"Iggy" He breathed... reaching down to the unconscious body - cold as ice as if touched by the Glacian herself.

Power graced the Shield once more picking up Ignis and cradling him in his strong arms. Gladio needed to find shelter and quick. He had  
to warm up Ignis, start a fire. 

The ruby light flared once more; a beacon in the white - haven. A small rock formation could be seen slightly higher up where the ruby  
light flickered. Gladio gathered all his strength for the final push against nature. He ignored all resistance with his Ignis in his arms,  
and ran, wading through the snow. Exhaustion wearing down on his Titan like strength, his only thought was getting Ignis to safety.  
Gladio got to the base of the rock formation and easily hiked atop, reaching the small break in the rocks, revealing a haven slightly below  
the surface - it unaffected by the weather. 

Gladio jumped down, Ignis still in arms as his feet landed onto to cave floor. Gathering his bearings, he looked around. The cave was small, just tall  
enough to stand up in and about 8 feet across. He gently placed Ignis down and took off his backpacking gear. Quickly, he searched for  
his flint and tinder, ignoring his freezing limbs. Survival skills were second nature to Gladio and a fire started in no time; hope surging.  
He untied and uncovered his sleeping bag and rolled it out infront of the fire. Next, he began to undress himself and Ignis from their wet  
clothing. 

Pulling the advisors cold naked body close to his, protected deep within his arms, he felt a small heart beat.

"We're safe Iggy" Gladio panted, feeling the warm of the fire. Exhaustion began to take over his body as his eyes closed, sight becoming  
black. Outside the storm still raged on and evening turned to night.

 

...

 

"Gl-Gl-Gladi-o...." a breathe.

Gladio's eyes burst open only to met with the sight of strikingly beautiful emerald ones that sparkled ruby for the slightest second. 

"Iggy! Are you okay?!" Gladio's rough voice began questioning only to be greeted by a smile. The smile was cut off by  
several harsh coughs. Worry shrouded across Gladio's face.

Gladio propped himself up to reach over in his bag to pull out a water bottle. Unscrewing the top, he gently tipped Ignis's head back to  
allow the water to rehydrate him. Gladio watched as the water slid down Ignis's throat. The advisor sighed.

Ignis took another deep breath, "I have been better but alas okay." his voice quiet, but not strained.

Gladio brushed his hand across Ignis's smooth skin. Ignis's eyes closed upon contact, he hummed, "You are quite warm Gladio."

"Are you too cold?"

Luckily the fire was still burning.

"No, you are... very warm" Ignis responded.

Ignis's face turned a deep plum as he pushed closer to the shield. Gladio pulled him closer, burying his face into the dark blonde locks. 

"D-Did you undress me?" Ignis's voice returning back to his haughty normal self. Gladio pulled himself back to catch the glance of a glaring  
Ignis.

"N-no!... W-well... You know? Uh... body warmth - and our clothes were wet and-"

Gladio was cut off by Ignis's index finger pressed into his chest. Slowly it began to trace the lines of the raised skin of his tattoos.

"Hmmmmmm" Gladio deeply hummed closing his eyes. 

"I never told you how much I like tattoos, especially... your tattoos" Ignis's voice light, changing the tone quickly.

Confidence surged. Now was the time. "Well I," Gladio grabbed Ignis's chin forcing him to look up at him, Ignis's eyes opened wide "have never  
told you how much I like you."

Gladio leaned forward gently placing his lips against Ignis's who released a breathy moan, and Gladio pulled the advisor in even closer.

"Gods, I am happy you're safe Iggs. I got so... so fuckin' worried. If I-... I shoulda stayed closer to y-" 

"Shhh" Ignis looked at Gladio with heavy lids, "You are too caring Gladio. Thank you for..." Ignis turned even more red, "for rescuing me."

"I'd move mountains for you babe." Gladio grinned only to get his chest smacked by the advisor, but no other protest was made. Ignis shifted his glance away  
from Gladio's amber eyes down to his chiseled chest in embarrassment. Gladio swiftly snuck in another kiss and slid his hand down to grab a handful of Ignis's  
plump backside, receiving a rather feminine squeal. 

"GLADIOLUS AMICITIA!"

Gladio roared with laughter.

 

...

 

Outside the storm had died down. The snow had stopped falling and night was still fresh in the air, but immediately outside the small cave  
stood a small fennec fox like creature with a stone adorned it's forehead, it sparkled a ruby light. The fox creature peaked it's head inside the  
cave only to squeak in delight and prance around in the shallow snow outside the cave continuing to squeal in joy.

 

Hah! A good luck charm? More like a match maker.


End file.
